Connecting with your Children

Issue 02/2011
Connecting
with your
Children
Addre
essi
sing tthe
he g
growing
row
diviide betwee
en parents
and kids
Up close
Defying the Odds
Pulse
The King
has come!
Focus
Should dating
couples holiday
together?
www.trinity.net
O U R
CELEBRATION SERVICES
Trinity@Adam
21 Adam Road
ENGLISH SERVICES
Weekend Services, Nursery & DiscoveryLand*
Sat 5pm • Sun 8.30am & 11am
Pre-Teens Services (ages 10-12)
Sat 5pm • Sun 8.30am
IGNYTE Services (ages 13-19)
Sat 5pm • Sun 11am
CHINESE SERVICES
Sun 8.30am & 11am
Trinity@Paya Lebar
V I S I O N
Vibrant
Incredible
We see our worship services,
prayer meetings and carecells
as places where people hunger
for the presence of God
and where God delights to
inhabit and dwell. In a vibrant
atmosphere of worship, prayer
and discipleship, we see people
encountering God and the
manifestation of signs, wonders
and miracles.
We see Trinity Christian
Centre as a church living
together in covenantal
relationships; where
carecells, ministries,
families and individuals
are flowing in corporate
unity to fulfil God’s
purpose and plan for the
church for that hour.
Atmosphere
Unity
247 Paya Lebar Road
ENGLISH SERVICES
Weekend Services, Nursery & DiscoveryLand*
Sat 5pm • Sun 10am
Pre-Teens Services (ages 10-12)
Sat 5pm • Sun 10am
IGNYTE Services (ages 13-19)
Sat 5pm • Sun 10am
CHINESE SERVICES
Sat 5pm • Sun 10am**
FILIPINO SERVICE
Sun 10am
INDONESIAN SERVICE
Sun 10am
Passionate
Heartbeat
We see a people consumed
with a vision to touch the
world for Jesus Christ and
to see His glory displayed
throughout the world. We see
a church with a passionate
heartbeat to fulfil God’s global
agenda through sending men
and women of faith to equip
and empower churches and
the body of Christ.
Strategic
Leadership
We see the church
as a place for the
empowerment and
development of Spiritfilled leaders who will be
strategically positioned
and deployed within
the Body of Christ. Every
Trinitarian a leader with
a ministry.
THAI SERVICE
Sun 6pm
* Nursery (birth to age 4) & DiscoveryLand (ages 4 -12)
** With Cantonese interpretation through earphones.
Information is correct at time of printing, and is subject to change.
RADIO MINISTRY
Thought for the Day
BE107 - Mon to Fri
7.40am & 10.30pm (repeat broadcast)
OUR CORE VALUES
Passionate Honour
Passion to love and honour God
Audacious Fervour
Boldness and zeal to believe and ask largely for the impossible
Relentless Belief
Unwavering belief in people and their God-given destiny
TRINITY CHRISTIAN CENTRE
Tel: 6468 4444 • Fax: 6467 6005
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.trinity.net
4
Contagious Faith
Authentic and infectious faith that reaches out to the lost
Contents
Issue 2/2011
Special Report
20
Connecting with
your Children
Addressing growing divide between
parents and kids
27 BIBLE DADS and MUMS
Try your hand at this quiz!
up close
14 DEFYING THE ODDS
Overcoming barrenness and disabilities
54 TRINITARIAN HERO
Skilful hands, servant heart
Win!
Email
[email protected]
to tell us what you think
of the Trinitarian and
how you were blessed
by it. This issue’s star
letter gets a $50
Swenson’s voucher.
Win!
Take
the quiz on p 27 and
stand a chance to
win a $20 Starbucks
voucher. Three
vouchers to be won.
fo c u s
28 NOT MARRIED BUT HOLIDAYING
ABROAD TOGETHER
Should dating couples holiday together?
envision
32 TRANFORMING YOU
Take the journey from potential
to fulfillment
36 DEFINYTION
Trinity’s Youth Academy
5
Issue 2/2011
Contents
ADVISER
CHIEF EDITOR
EDITORS
EDITORIAL
TEAM
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
pulse
8
THE KING HAS COME!
A time for sets, songs
and salvations
12 PRAYER WORKS
Harnessing the power
of prayer
38 BLUEPRINT
IGNYTE’s first poly camp
heartbeat
42 YOUR LIFE, YOUR GIFT
Pray, give, go
45 CELL CHURCH
CONFERENCE 2011
Churches testify of
breakthroughs
46 MISSIONS at a GLANCE
Overview of activities
from Jan-Mar 2011
40 WHAT A WEEKEND!
Young Adults grapple
with current issues
48 DEFYING GRAVITY
D’Artistes shines with
theatrical flair
52 RUNNING WITH FIRE
New season in Singapore
Assemblies of God
6
CONTRIBUTING
DESIGNERS
EDITORIAL
SUPPORT
Rev. Dominic Yeo
Pastor Janice Chng
Kevin Kwang
Tan Rou’en
Carol Lim
Chen Xiufang
Chia Ban Seng
Diana Lim
Gabriel Chu
Ivan Koh
Kevin Kwang
Moo Yubin
Quek Yan Ying
Sabrina Ng
Sharon Lim
Vince Yip
Nicole Yeong
Peter Teagle
Lynette Lim
Daphne Hong
Dennis Thong
Eugene Ng
Janella Ang
Jayni Wong
Jonathan Siow
Law Kian Yan
Pearly Tan
Pufferfish Studio
Twenty4Frames
Faith Koh
Sarah Lau
Veronica Teo
Woo May Yin
ADVERTISING SALES & ADMIN
Sarah Lau
Tel: 6304 7718
Email: [email protected]
MAILING ADDRESS
Singapore Post Centre Post Office
PO Box 616 Singapore 914021
Congratulations
to these winners of
a personalized TAWG
package:
➔ Sarah Lee
➔ Deamy Sng
➔ Joshua Lim
The Trinitarian is published quarterly
by Trinity Christian Centre.
Company registration number 197802911H
MICA (P) 102/03/2011
Printed in Singapore by Image Printers Pte Ltd
License number L007/09/2010
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express
written permission is prohibited. Opinions, views and advertisements
do not necessarily constitute the official stand of the church.
MESSAGE
– Senior Pastor
Parenting is a tough
job yet a fulfilling one.
Our children are growing
up in an environment of
great changes in their
physical, psychological
and social arenas. At the
same time, the demands of
work and ministry are also
increasing.
Faced with these changes
and pressures, how can
we best connect with our
kids?
As a father, I reach out to
my children by making
time to be with them.
This helps me know them
better. I also look for
opportunities where we
can do the things they like
together. During those
shared moments, I speak
to them as a friend, and
not as a parent.
Follow @PDomYeo
I adopted this approach in
a recent conversation with
my son about bullies and
gangs. I asked him how he
felt about them, whether
he knew any and how he
would deal with it.
He said that he could have
become like them but he
chose not to. I asked him
why. He shared that he
knew that we would be
disappointed if he had
become like one. He talked
about choices and how he
made a conscious decision
to be as best a Christian he
could.
That conversation with
my son changed me. I am
glad that I took time out to
just have a meal with my
son and to enter his world.
Today, we are closer than
before.
If you are agonizing
over getting through to
your children, fret not.
In this issue, we give you
simple tips on how to
connect with them. (See
Connecting With Your
Child, p 20, for the full
story).
Let us know how this issue
has blessed you!
7
pulse
The KING has
Trinity’s Easter
drama The King
hit the high notes
and explored the
depths of human
emotions as it
showcased Christ’s
life and sacrifice
in all its glory.
By Sharon Lim
As the 12 disciples bantered in tune
to jazzy riffs, accompanied by stylish
choreography performed ably by
a 97-strong dance cast, the scenes
contrasted with that of a beaten
and bruised Jesus struggling under
the weight of the cross, trailed by a
loud, agitated mob.
This was more than apt as the
highs and lows of this year’s Easter
musical, The King, which was
staged over two days on April 21
and 22, mirrored the eventful life
of Christ.
With a fresh, creative interpretation
yet preserving the essence of Jesus’
time on Earth from His birth to the
crucifixion, the musical colorfully
and vividly fleshed out the miracles
and sacrifices Christ made, which a
rapt audience happily lapped up.
8
The musical, which was first written
and performed by Trinity in 2003,
had evolved to include a bigger cast
and grander setting to when it was
performed at Trinity@Adam. No less
than 186 cast and crew members
– Trinitarians with a flair for the
dramatic – took part, and together
with skilled craftsmen helped build
the exceptionally huge set that fit the
stage in the Sanctuary at Paya Lebar.
And their hard work paid off.
As many responded to the altar call
given by Pastor Sabrina at the end
of the services, others were moved
to tears as they left church that day
knowing that they encountered a
living God who loves them and died
for their sins. In the end, more than
185 people gave their lives to Christ
via the musical. Praise God!
come!
Acting in Faith
A simple act of obedience saw Zhang
Ming Fang receive Christ during Easter
and Shermaine Tay, who invited her
to The King, shares how this unfolded.
At first, I did not know who to invite for my
carecell’s tea party or Easter presentation. It was
only as I prayed for God to give me a name that
Ming Fang just popped into my mind. It was then
that I made a commitment to God that I would
invite her for the party.
I wasn’t hopeful she would attend, much less make
a decision regarding her salvation. In spite of
my usual fears, I pressed “send” on my phone
and invited Ming Fang anyway. To my relief, she
readily agreed to come for the tea party.
During the party, as I handed her the invite for
The King, God somehow exchanged my doubts
for His peace and assurance. Even though
Ming Fang didn’t confirm her attendance then,
I continued to pray and trust that God would move
her heart.
And He did. The day before Good Friday, Ming Fang
told me she would be able to make it for the Easter
presentation!
As the drama unfolded, Ming Fang witnessed the
healing ministry of Jesus and was deeply touched
by the love of Christ. She responded to the altar call.
Later, Ming Fang shared that during the
presentation, her tears kept coming down as she
“felt something tugging” in her heart. It was the
scene of the cripple crawling on the ground, whom
Jesus healed, that left a lasting impression on her.
“His love can heal us and He won’t abandon us”,
she said.
Ming Fang’s life is now transformed as is mine, for a
moment with the King changes everything.
9
pulse
Does participating in a largescale production like The King
seem daunting to you? What
does it take in terms of talent
and time commitment? Chia
Ban Seng spoke to some of
the cast and crew to find out.
Honored to
Serve
the King
I decided to avail myself to serve God without
knowing what to expect. It turned out to be a lot
of hard work, but I enjoyed learning the backstage
craft, making new friends, and I fell more in love
with Jesus as I served!
Michson Ang, polytechnic student
Crew: sets personnel
I am very proud of my sets team and very privileged
to work with such like-minded people who wanted
to do their best for God! I feel very satisfied that all
our hard work paid off, seeing the many who came
to receive Jesus.
Gerard Setho, software engineer
Crew: sets manager
10
I felt Jesus’ overwhelming love and
pain during the Calvary scene, and
God led me to switch roles from
a mocker to that of a mourner to
minister to the audience. I learnt
that every role in the drama counts
in saving souls.
Audrey Guo, pet groomer
Cast: townsfolk (formerly supposed
to dance but for a leg injury)
I felt very inadequate when I was
asked to be a dancer. But as I gave
God what seemed my “least”, it
seemed to result in more fruits.
I managed to invite more friends to
The King, one of whom rededicated
her life to Jesus!
Leong Jia Li, undergrad
Cast: townsfolk and dancer
What can you find in DiscoveryLand
(DL) during Easter? A nutty professor,
brainy experiments, mind-boggling
puzzles and lots of exciting activities!
A total of 445 children, of which 117
were first-time visitors, attended the
event where they were transported
back in time to learn about the
Jesus who loves, forgives and cleanses them from
sin. 75 children received Jesus into their hearts!
I was saved through
one of Trinity’s
musicals in 1999.
I felt that if someone
could spend the
time and energy to
go through all that
preparation just to
bring God’s message
to me, I too should
do the same to reach
out to those who
need to know Jesus!
Andrew Chua,
manager
Cast: lame man
healed by Jesus
and dancer
11
pulse
Pre-Service Prayer
15 minutes before every service
HEALING
And the prayer of faith will cure
the sick and the Lord
shall raise him up… James 5:15
The pastors and congregation prayed for my
aunt who suffers from breast cancer. She has
recovered and does not even need to go through
chemotherapy anymore.
Mrs Chua
SALVATION
Brothers, truly my heart’s desire and prayer to God
for Israel is for it to be saved. Romans 10:1
Thank God for salvation of Mr Lim last night!
Will Young
PROVISION
And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer,
believing, you shall receive. Matthew 21:22
Thank God! He provided a capable supervisor
for my final year project, and graciously made
it such that the school approved my request to
graduate later!
Dawn
Praise God! He is my Jehovah Jireh. My sales
orders are coming in now!
PS Niu
Thanksgiving to God for giving our children,
Dylan and Daryl good results in their exams.
Kenneth Tang
Prayer brings life and power, as Ivan Koh discovers
after speaking to Trinitarians who attended our
Pre-Service and Morning Prayer sessions.
PEACE AND PROTECTION
Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything by prayer and supplication…let your
requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
POSTERITY
But the angel said to him, Do not fear, Zacharias. For
your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall
bear you a son... Luke 1:13
Thank God for the safe return of my dad and the
shipping crew. God is good!
Joseph Yio
Praising our good Lord for His blessing upon Hsu
Loong and Li Boon…they are expecting their first
baby!
Mr Ho
Praise the Lord for saving my daughter, Kimberly
from drowning in Texas, U.S. She was pulled
into the river four times before she was rescued.
Margaret Seet
12
Prayer
works
Thanking God for the conception of our baby after
six years of trying!
Anita
Morning Prayer
Feb 14-18, 7-8.30am
The presence of God during
the worship, especially on the
different promises of God and
the transference of blessings
helped break my mindset.
Tay Lay Lay
The pray
Th
a er
ay
erss off fello
low
lo
w
T iin
Tr
nit
i aria
ans
n rev
veale
ed G
Go
o
od’s Word
to me, to
ou
uched my he
earrt an
nd
was ve
wa
very
ry relevant
ev t to
t var
ario
ous
u
a pect
as
pe ts of my lif
life.
fe.
Titu
Ti
tuss An
ng
Let’s have more of such
Morning Prayer meetings!
Thank you Pastor Dominic for
sharing with us all that God
had spoken to you.
Pearly Chan
Through the whole Morning
Prayer experience, I was able to
look beyond my struggles and
understand the right response
to adopt. This is one of the
best prayer meetings I have
attended. It would be great to
have more of these!
Karen Teo
The time spent with the Lord
was awesome. I left the church
edified and this sustained me
through the day.
Dennis Singham
“There is vast difference between
saying a prayer and praying.”
Church Prayer Meeting
Come to
to find out what praying really is!
Happening every first Wednesday of the month,
Jul 6, Aug 3, Sep 7, Oct 5, Nov 2 and Dec 7.
Next round of Morning Prayer: Mon-Fri,
Nov 14-18. Come seek the Lord at sunrise!
13
u p c l o s e > REAL LIFE MIRACLE
Defying the Odds
Despite having diffi
difficulties
culties conceiving and
d later
later supporting their daughter,
daughter
Raena, to overcome her dyslexia, Jason Yeong and Chan Kit Yee share how
God turned things around for them even when all seemed impossible.
W
e tiied the knot in
n 1996
6 an
and
d be
egan our
jour
u neyy of mar
a ri
ar
ried
d lif
ife
e toge
geth
ther.. Like
anyy ot
an
othe
herr co
he
coup
uple
le,, we had
dp
pla
lan
ans ffor
or our
fami
fa
mily
mi
ly.
y We
We bel
e ie
eve
ved
d in b
buiild
din
ng st
strong
g fam
amililyy
bond
bo
ndss es
nd
espe
peci
pe
cial
ci
ally
al
ly with
h ou
our agei
ageing
ag
ng p
par
aren
ents
ts, and
d
offten
n tr
trav
avel
e le
el
led
d wi
w th
h tthem
m on hol
olid
days. Kit Yee
was allso p
wa
pu
ursuin
ng her dr
dream off com
ompl
plet
etin
ing he
h r
part-ttim
pa
me de
degr
gree
ee cou
urse and so we deferred
starting
st
ng a fam
mililyy of our own.
one of tth
one
he service
cess in 2
200
02, ttha
ha
at God
God worked His
miira
racl
cle
e.
During the service
ce, Pa
astor Dominic gave an alta
ar
callll for couples who wan
a ted to have children
en
to step fo
forw
war
a d fo
f r pr
pra
ayer. We immedia
ate
tely
ly
recognized that God had pr
prom
ompt
pte
ed that ca
all ffor
or u
us..
Holding our hands to
ogether tight
htly
lyy, we
we sste
tepp
ped
out of our sea
ou
ats a
and wal
alke
ked
ke
d towards th
he fr
front to
receive prayer.
It wass onl
n y five yearss llat
a er, in 2001, when we
de
eci
cide
cide
d d to
o sta
art our
ur ffam
amilily,
y, to our surprise and
d sa
di
sappointtme
ment, we fou
ound
nd
Strangely, even though the
th
hat nothing
g was hap
ppe
pening.
womb is situated below the
We con
o su
ult
lte
ed professionals
ed
abdomen, Pastor Dominic
an
nd soug
ugh
ht medical help. After
ht
a ot
an
o he
er ye
yea
ar, still nothing
placed his hand on Kit Yee’s
happ
ha
p ened
ed. Disappointment
back instead to pray for us.
bega
be
gan to set in.
It w
was
as iin
n earl
rly 2002, after regularly experi
rie
encing
a pa
pain
n iin
n her abdomen which forced
dK
Kiit Yee to
visi
sitt he
her doctor, that she was diag
gnosed with
ha
avi
v ng
g a fibroid blocking her fa
fallopian tube.
We then arranged for Kit Yee
e to have the fibro
roid
remo
m ved and, with the succcessful operatio
on, our
hopes were once again
ho
n ra
aised. Yet, month
ths of
tryi
tr
ying and waiting cam
a e and went, wi
witth no sign
of a pregnancy.
WAITING
ONGOD
GOD
WAITING ON
D
We clung on to God through
gh this season
though, believin
ing in His promises and attendin
ng
14
Stran
ngely, even th
though the
he
wo
omb is situ
uat
ated below
ow the
abdome
en, P
Pastor Do
Domi
m ni
mi
nicc pla
placed
his ha
hand on Kit Ye
ee’
e’ss ba
ack ins
nste
ead
to pray forr uss. We
We rec
eceive
ece
ved
d th
he
prayyer in fait
fait
i h and
d went
ntt h
ho
ome.
Itt was
as onl
nly la
ater
te th
hat we
disccovered tha
at Ki
Kitt Ye
ee ha
ad an inverte
ed ut
uterus,
an
nd Pastorr Dom
ominicc h
had
d divin
nely, and accurately,
placed his
is han
nd on
n the
e bacck of
the wo
omb
mb rat
atherr tha
an on the
front.
t.
BIRTHING
BIRT
THING
OF M
MIRACLES
IR
RACLES
The
e fo
followin
ng mo
on
ntth,
we reccei
e ved gr
grea
eatt news
ne
ew
f om
fr
om o
our gyneccolog
ogis
ist:
t:
Kitt Ye
Ki
Y e was prreg
egna
nant
ntt! We
W
saw the
e ulltr
tras
asou
ound
nd sca
c n
with
th joy and exc
xcit
item
ment. It was
a he
h alth
thyy fe
fetu
tus!
s!
Go
G
od ha
had
ad gi
g ve
ven us
a mira
miiracl
ra
accllle
e!! It ha
e
h d
to
ob
be
e Go
od an
nd
Go
od al
alon
on
ne.
e.
Nine
Nine
n mo
onth
on
nth
thss
late
la
t r,
te
r ourr llit
ittl
te
tl
ange
an
gell wa
was ad
dd
de
ed
to
o our familly. God
o
ga
g
av
ve
eu
uss tth
the
e na
nam
me
Ra
ae
en
na, mea
e ning
ng “p
pure
pure
e
and
an
d cllea
e n”. It was apt
pt
be
b
ecaus
ec
u e Kit Yee
e
wa
w
as diiag
agno
ose
s d
with
th gessta
t tio
onal
dia
abetes
ab
t s durin
ng herr
pre
eg
gn
na
an
ncy, but b
both
h
Kiit Y
K
Ye
ee a
and Ra
aen
na’s
b oods
bl
dstrea
e mss we
ere
im
mme
medi
dia
attel
e y clea
ar
off diia
abe
betes duri
rin
ng
th
he de
deliiv
ve
ery
ry. Itt was
th
he se
econd
nd of se
seve
v ral
miirra
acle
es to co
es
c me.
It was
as in G
Go
od’’s pe
p rffec
ec t
timi
ming
ng th
hatt Ra
ha
R ena ma
made
d
he
er gr
gran
a d en
ntr
t an
nce
e iin
nto
ou
ur livess. Unkno
own
wn
to
ou
us,
s, iit w
was al
wa
a so
so
th
he be
begi
g nn
gi
nnin
ing
in
ng of
o
ourr jo
ou
jour
ur n
neyy of
ne
of
diisc
d
scov
o ery.
ov
y
15
up close
NOT AGAIN, GOD?
Raena was like any other child. She loved playing
with water, especially at the water playground at
the Singapore Zoological Gardens, and enjoyed
drawing, dancing and reading. She had a favorite
TV program, Barbie’s Magic of the Rainbow
and a favorite cartoon character, Spongebob
Squarepants. She had food preferences:
mushroom soup, and a favorite color, purple.
She also had innocent ambitions – when asked
what she would like to be when she grew up, she
would say “a florist!” And, like almost every other
child in Singapore, she struggled with Chinese and
multiplication tables. It never crossed our minds
that she would have a learning disability.
In 2009, when Raena was six, she started to resist
going to her childcare centre on certain days each
week. This persisted for a few weeks.
We thought this was just a phase as she had
enjoyed going to that childcare centre since she
was 19 months old. We monitored the situation
and found out that those were the days she was
tested on spelling and was not doing well, getting
a zero or at most one out of five correct.
Raena soon developed a phobia for spelling days.
We had a talk with her teacher, who commented
that Raena just needed to pay more attention in
class. She even attributed it to a problem with
Raena’s eyesight.
We thought that perhaps Raena needed more
time to master spelling. Our suspicions grew when
Raena continued to struggle with forming her
words. How could Raena not cope with five easy
words, even after we requested for the spelling list
to revise at home? She had even started phonics
lessons early. We were baffled and felt helpless.
GLIMPSES OF HOPE
During a conversation with a close friend, we
chanced upon the Dyslexic Association of
Singapore (DAS). Raena was brought there for a
full assessment and was diagnosed to have mild
dyslexia, a reading disability.
That explained her weakness in languages,
especially with reading and spelling, though she
scored well in IQ and memory. In fact, we realized
her memory was so good she had simply
memorized the words of her books. She never
really learnt how to read!
We were shocked at the diagnosis, that it had
gone undetected for such a long time. We finally
understood Raena’s struggle with spelling, and a
sense of sadness started to sink in. With this major
literacy and academic disadvantage, how was
Raena going to read her textbooks and write the
many reports required in our education system?
How could Raena not cope with five
easy words, even after we requested
for the spelling list to revise at home?
16
It wasn’t easy accepting the fact that Raena was
dyslexic, but despite the many questions running
through our minds, there was an underlying peace
in our hearts. We refused to let the diagnosis
be a death sentence. We refused to let it shake
our hope and faith in God. We knew we had to
hold on to the One who had given our little girl
to us.
We really witnessed God’s hand of guidance upon
our lives. There was a time when we were deciding
1
2
3
3
1, 2 Raena learning
through multi sensory
methods at DAS
3 Raena in front of
her school
which primary school to
place Raena in. With the
diagnosis, the choice was
clear: a primary school
which offered support to
dyslexic pupils.
Located just a few streets away from our place was
such a primary school, one of the few selected by
the Ministry of Education to help students with
dyslexia. Furthermore, that school did not just
focus on academic excellence but excelled in the
arts such as dancing, which Raena is interested in.
We knew Raena was in good hands.
We began the necessary steps at DAS to help
Raena pick up basic reading skills. Our carecell and
friends in church came alongside us to encourage
us and showered lots of love on Raena. Raena’s
primary school teachers also constantly motivated
and spurred her on. We drew strength from all
their constant encouragement.
FACING PARENTAL CHALLENGES
When she entered the school, studying was a
huge mountain to scale. We were worried that her
daily homework would drain her. We would take
time to go through her homework with her and
pray with her.
We prayed that God would give her more
confidence in her school work. Most of all, we
hope that she could just continue to enjoy her
schooling experience. We would encourage her to
just do her best. We also did the best we could to
help her prepare for the exams.
It has not been an easy journey, but God has been
gracious to us. At times, while doing homework
with Raena in the evenings, there would be many
17
up close
From Raena:
I practice very hard
and I pray to God and
God gives me wisdom.
struggles. The way a dyslexic thinks and learns
is so different. As parents, we could not fully
understand and so we were at a loss to getting
around the problem.
We took up courses for parents, subsidized by
DAS. We tried different multi-sensory methods to
help Raena learn her reading and spelling. Using
assessment books or worksheets for practice
were out of the question as the words all seemed
‘jumbled up’ in the eyes of a dyslexic child.
18
LORD, YOU’RE AMAZING
We were anxious for Raena, not in her results, but
of her confidence in attempting the exams. But the
anxiety was unfounded. In her final examinations
last year, Raena scored Band 1 in all her three
subjects! We were simply shocked. Her good
results defied the circumstances of her learning
disability. We were full of gratitude to God.
When we asked Raena how she overcame her
examinations, she said matter-of-factly, “I practice
To parents of children with learning disabilities:
very hard and I pray to God and God gives me
wisdom”. We attribute her response to her strong
foundations in God that have been laid at home
and in DiscoveryLand.
Amazingly, Raena has been scoring between
90% and 100% for her weekly spelling this year.
Raena’s ability to read has also shown a marked
improvement. It was such a joy seeing her read to
herself and even to her six-year-old sister.
Every child is a gift from God. With God,
all things are possible. Accept the fact that
your child is unique despite his or her disability.
Seek God and seek available help.
To Raena:
Daddy and mummy will always love you,
because God has given you to us. You are so
special. You are so precious.
Each time when we felt like giving up, we prayed
even more with Raena. In this whole miracle of
life, God has taught us as parents to grow in our
perseverance, patience and love for Raena.
God has a divine plan for your life. Like the Yeongs,
you too can experience His sovereign provision
and grace. Begin by inviting Him into your heart
with this simple prayer:
In this journey of faith, we have learnt to wait upon
God, that although we may not see His hand, we
can trust God and His promises – that He has good
plans for us. If God can turn things around for us,
He can surely do it for you! T
‘Dear God, please forgive me of all my sins. I believe
Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again on
the third day. Thank you for taking away all my
sins. Please come into my life and be my Lord and
Savior. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.’
19
C
20
C
G
“
ood character is largely
attributable to a loving,
safe and stable family
and social environment –
conditions for which we were
not responsible.”
So wrote Timothy Keller in
the book The Reason for God,
succinctly putting across what
children can benefit from if
given the right foundations
and upbringing. The flipside,
he added, is equally important
to recognize. He said: “Many
[people] have had instead an
unstable family background,
poor role models and a history
of tragedy and disappointment.”
Explaining, he said that many
adults in Singapore do not
understand the basics of
parenting but simply assume
what these skills are. He also
questioned the lack of quality
parenting books written to
guide and point Singaporeans
or Asian parents in the right
direction.
Of more pressing concern,
though, is that parents are not
recognizing that their children’s
developmental stages are
being pushed earlier due to a
series of developments such as
improving technology, rising
affluence in our society, early
education, among others.
Connecting with
your Children
Parents are essentially called to
be role models for their children
and to impart the necessary
skill sets for them to navigate
through the often arduous
journey of life. However, there’s
a shifting landscape where
parenting skills are concerned
and a pressing need to address
certain challenges that have
crept in as society unrelentingly
advances.
Rewriting Parenting 101
Sam Kuna, Dean, School of
Counselling at TCA College,
for one, thinks “parenting
101” needs to be rewritten.
“Our children are picking up
signals all the time during their
pre-lingual stage and many
adults with children have
not caught on with this rapid
change,” he pointed out.
These signals include picking
up language and motor skills
and ability to correlate one
item to another at an earlier
stage, explained Sam. The
introductions of Apple’s iPhones
and iPads as well as other
touch-related mobile devices,
for example, have definitely
made it easier to keep children
entertained for longer periods
21
of time. The sight of many
parents putting cartoons on or
allowing their toddlers to play
with Angry Birds on their mobile
devices during mealtimes
can attest to this growing
phenomenon!
Furthermore, our preteens
and early teenagers are
approaching “moral dilemma”
issues much earlier than
previous generations had to,
the counselor highlighted.
These issues can vary from
entering puberty for girls to
boys getting interested in their
female friends very early on,
he said.
Loving kids right
Pastor Johnathan, District
Pastor of the Divine Exchange
and Wholeness (DEW)
ministry in Trinity, meanwhile,
also highlighted two other
challenges he observed while
interacting with parents of
Trinity Christian Centre.
Evolve your parenting
styles
Secondly, he pointed out that
parents are not picking up on
the fact that their parenting
styles have to change as their
children grow up.
Using German-born
developmental psychologist
Erik Erikson’s theory on how
every person has nine stages of
growth from birth to death as
an example, the pastor said that
parents need to understand
that kids at different age groups
have different needs and are
exploring to fill out different
facets of their character and
personality.
C
While these developments
taking place are not wrong
by itself, Sam stressed that it
is occurring at a younger age
for children across the board
as they have easier access
to information through the
Internet and other media
platforms.
However, authorities that play
a significant part in shaping
children’s perspectives on
these issues such as the family
institution, schools and other
religious organizations like
churches and mosques aren’t
attending to this development
faced by their charges
fast enough. In fact, many
Singaporean parents still put
off sex education talks until it
becomes inevitable, by which
time the child might already
have learnt about it through
other sources, he added.
Sam asserted that parents
22
could actually bring up the
subject of “the birds and the
bees” to their children as early
as possible within the safety of
the family environment. That
said, he cautioned that every
child matures differently and
the approaches to engaging
children in these conversations
need to be “age-appropriate”.
Firstly, he said that parents
are either not aware of or
are not making a conscious
effort to learn their children’s
specific love languages. This, in
turn, might result in the child
thinking he is not loved by his
parents and become attentionseeking or insecure as he grows
up, he pointed out.
For instance, constantly buying
gifts for a child whose love
language is quality time will
mean he doesn’t receive the
love he craves. This perceived
lack of affection will be further
highlighted when parents have
to discipline the child.
“The poor kid, already thinking
dad and mum doesn’t shower
affection on him, now gets
scolded by them too! This just
reinforces the child’s perception
of being unloved,” said Pastor
Johnathan.
For instance, a parent that
has consistently been an
authoritarian figure since the
child’s young, formative years
will have to learn to mellow
and give the child more space
to explore his identity upon
entering adolescence or there
will be much friction between
them, which creates tension in
the family.
According to Erikson, this
stage of a child’s life is known
as “fidelity”, when the kid will
start questioning and forming
his own identity: how he
is going to fit in, where he
wants to go in life, etc. The
psychologist added that if
the parent allows the child to
explore on his own, he would
eventually come to his own
conclusions. Conversely, if
the parent continues to be
overly strict and herds the
child through choices of the
former’s choosing, the teen
might face identity confusion
in the future, he pointed out.
Therefore, adults should find
the balance needed to help
lead the child firmly yet with
enough room for him to
discover life on his own terms,
Pastor Johnathan urged.
Becoming
better parents
Drawing from their professional
and personal experiences, both
men suggested practical, day-today tips and handles for parents
and would-be ones to enhance
the connection and time spent
with their kids.
1
RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN
FAILINGS
We are not perfect. That’s
a given. Acknowledging that
fact and looking critically at
our weaknesses and shortfalls as
a person and a parent would be
a good start to becoming more
empathetic and loving parents.
After all, as Sam pointed out,
parenting is about how fathers
and mothers “define themselves,
their values, worldviews and
paradigms” and imparting these
to their children.
Once you’ve taken stock of
your own upbringing and
what worked and what did
not, you would have a better
understanding of the direction
you would want to pursue in
terms of teaching and equipping
your kids.
2
HAVE FUN WITH YOUR
KIDS
This might be a fairly
obvious suggestion, but it’s
easier said than done. Many
of us have been guilty of
simply “being around” with
our children after work or
during the weekends but not
engaging them in activities or
conversation. To this, Pastor
Johnathan urged parents to
make a habit to have fun with
the kids that, in turn, would
give them added incentive to
want to spend time with their
young ones.
Taking each child out
individually, having a meal or
going for a movie together, are
some things you can do to learn
more about the child and build
up a strong bond with each
other, he said. Also, don’t always
talk about serious topics like
the need to succeed in school
or they would dread going out
with you.
3
TEACHING FAITH
LESSONS
Faith lessons, according
to Pastor Johnathan, are
windows of opportunities to
help teach kids about God and
helping them see God in the
midst of their daily activities. He
added that, oftentimes, these
lessons tend to be drawn from
the parents’ own journeys of
faith. For instance, his daughter
Hannah, now 19 years old,
benefited unexpectedly from a
faith lesson he taught her when
she was still in primary school
(see p 25).
He also penned down all his
experiences with God for his
two children, who have both
read his testimonies as they
were growing up, so that they
would know the reality of God
in his life.
These tips are particularly useful
for Trinitarians who have always
wondered how to raise their
kids up as Christians beyond
Sunday school and church
services.
23
Speaking their language
For children to feel loved,
parents should and must
learn to speak their kids’ love
languages as every child has a
special way of perceiving love,
wrote Dr Gary Chapman, coauthor of Five Love Languages
for Children.
PHYSICAL TOUCH This can be
expressed through a kiss, hug
or a simple pat on the back.
You could also cultivate the
habit of holding the child while
reading to him or her. As the
child grows older, they might
expect more expressive forms
of touch such as a bear hug or
piggyback rides.
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION
The tongue is sharper than
any sword where kids who
perceive love through words
are concerned. Rather than
constantly criticizing their
every shortcoming, you can
24
make a positive impact in
your children’s lives with
words of praises, affection and
encouragement.
QUALITY TIME There’s no time
like the present to shower your
kid with focused attention
(and not with an eye on the
TV screen). Details such as
positive eye contact, planning
for the time spent together and
having fun playing are some
recommended tips for people
with children in this category.
GIFTS The act of giving gifts
is a slightly trickier expression
of love because it’s not always
clear if the present is given out
of love or other not-so-positive
reasons. Chapman added that
a child’s “emotional tank” must
already be full for the gift to
be received as love, otherwise
the child will feel that you’re
just “buying” their love. These
gifts may not always need to be
pricey − a handmade card or a
rock with interesting properties,
which you know would appeal
to your child, are good presents
to give as well.
ACTS OF SERVICE Parenting
is already a service-oriented
vocation but to distinguish
your expressions of love to
the child, these acts could be
done to model, for example,
responsibility and compassion
for the less fortunate around
them. You should also not take
this expression to mean doing
everything for your kids lest
they take you for granted!
Hannah’s faith lesson
Discover how Pastor Johnathan’s simple faith lesson for his daughter
helped shape her formative years.
When Hannah was in primary
school, she was constantly
bullied by her classmates.
Initially, we enrolled her into
Swiss Cottage Primary School
but when an opening came
up in Pei Hwa Presbyterian
Primary School six months on,
we transferred her there.
That’s when Hannah’s ordeal
began. On her very first day
in school, her schoolmates
did not allow her into the
auditorium because they
said we, the parents, did not
contribute to its building
fund. Poor girl, on her first day
and she was hounded out!
The bullying went on and
despite us going down to
see the form teachers and
principal often, there was not
much done to protect her or
to improve Hannah’s situation.
One night, when she was in
Primary 3 and I was praying
with her, she turned to me
and asked: “Why’s God not
doing anything to help me?”
Taking a few moments to
think over my response, I said:
“I’ve got only two verses to
share with you, and that is
Jeremiah 29: 11 “For I know the
plans I have for you,” declares
the Lord, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and
a future” and Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things
God works for the good of
those who love him, who have
been called according to his
purpose.”
That was a faith lesson, but
back then I had no idea how
she would respond or make
use of those two verses.
Furthermore, the bullying did
not stop and she continued to
face challenges in school.
In Primary 5, however, things
began to improve. After
another meeting with the
principal, in which both my
wife and I threatened to pull
Hannah out of the school, the
teachers began to take action
and our daughter’s situation
in school picked up through
to her graduation. It was then
that she saw how God has
heard her and changed the
circumstances in her favor.
Fast forward to secondary
school, Hannah achieved
220 for her PSLE results, but
it wasn’t enough to get into
Fairfield Methodist, which
had a cut-off point of 240.
We appealed though, and
were excited when the school
called us up for an interview.
During the interview, the
principal asked Hannah why
she should accept her into
the school, at which she
confidently said, “Because
I’ve got a passion for God!”
The principal turned to us
and said that in all her time
as principal, no prospective
student had used that reason
before. We were squirming in
our seats now, unsure of how
Hannah’s response would be
received but, to our relief, she
was admitted.
The next four years were good
ones for our daughter and she
excelled in school, so much so
that she was invited to deliver
the valedictorian speech for
her graduating cohort. One
thing I remembered distinctly
from her speech was when
she said, “Many of you have
asked me how I had overcome
all my difficult times, and it
was the two verses that my
dad shared with me when
I was younger that helped pull
through those times.”
When I shared the two verses
with Hannah, I never knew
how she would apply it in her
life but she clung on to those
two promises from God and
she just ran with it. It’s quite
amazing to see how God has
worked in her life. T
25
quiz
Bible
DADS and
MUMS
Try your hand at this quiz!
1. Which father prayed and offered sacrifices for his seven
sons and three daughters regularly?
A Abraham
B Noah
C Job
2. Which mother released her son to serve God in full-time
ministry?
A Lydia
B Hannah
C Rachel
3. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul said ‘Fathers, ____________________;
instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of
the Lord’?
A do not excuse your children from PE
B do not entertain your child’s tantrums
C do not exasperate your children
4. Which father went to Jesus to seek for his ill daughter to be
healed?
A Nicodemus
B Zechariah
C Jairus
5. Which parent was a bad example when he got drunk and
had to be covered by one of his sons?
A Noah
B Jeroboam
C David
6. Proverbs 13:24 gives this advice: ‘He who ______________
Email your answers
in this format to
[email protected]
Name:
Contact:
District:
Answers: e.g. 1-A, 2-B…
Win a $20 Starbucks
voucher! Three
vouchers are
up for grabs.
hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline
him.’
A spares the rod
B buys many toys
C yells a lot
7. What is the name of the grandmother who left a legacy
of faith for Timothy?
A Eunice
B Lois
C Ah Ma
8. Which parent failed to correct his two sons when they
sinned against the Lord, allowing them to do as they
pleased instead?
A Saul
B Elijah
C Eli
27
fo c u s > YOUNG ADULTS
holidaying
Not married but
abroad together...
Why and Why Not?
28
by Peter and Lynette Lim-Teagle
I
t was potentially a huge loss of face.
The Christian couple we were doing
marriage prep with were faced with
the fact that we were not prepared
to continue meeting with them until
they agreed to sort this issue out.
The issue? For convenience and to
save money, they had just moved in
together. With only three weeks to go
before the wedding, they thought it
was no big deal. After all, they assured
us, they were ‘not doing anything
they shouldn
dn’t’.
You mi
You
migh
g t th
gh
thin
inkk we
w w
wer
ere
e be
bein
ing
g
too
to
o ha
h rd o
on
n th
them
em,, es
em
espe
peci
cial
ally
ly w
whe
hen
n
th
heyy ass
ssur
ured
ed
du
uss th
t att tthe
h y wer
he
we
ere
re not
ot
sllee
eepi
eepi
p ng
g tog
o et
ethe
h r.
he
r. But th
the
e is
issu
sue,
e, we
e,
expl
ex
exp
plai
a ne
ned,
d, w
was
a not
as
o o
onl
nly
nl
y av
avoi
oidi
oi
diing
n
immo
im
m ra
mo
r li
l ty
ty,, bu
b t av
avoi
oidi
ding
di
ng eve
v n th
the
e
ap
ppe
pear
ear
aran
a ce of iim
an
mmo
mora
ra
ali
lity
ty,, no
ty
nott to
o
m nt
me
ntio
io
on th
the
e fo
fool
olis
ol
ishn
is
hnes
hn
esss of
of put
utti
ting
ting
g
th
hem
emse
selv
se
lv
vess in th
he wa
wayy of
o hug
ge
temp
te
mpta
mp
tati
ta
t on
ti
on.
Mostt C
Mo
Chr
hris
hr
isti
tian
an cou
o p
plles
les wou
ould
d not
drea
dr
am of
of mov
vin
ing in
n tog
oget
oget
ethe
he
h
er be
b fo
ore
e
marr
ma
rria
iage
ia
ge
g
e (it is al
a most
mostt a llau
mo
augh
au
ghab
gh
a le
ab
le
im
impo
mpo
oss
ssib
ssib
ibil
bili itty fo
or si
sing
ngle
ng
le
es in
n Sin
inga
g p
po
ore
e
an
nyyw
wayy).
). Butt we h
ha
ave to a
assk
sk,
k, if itt is
c ea
cl
earl
arl
ryw
wrron
ong to mov
ove in
ove
in tog
ogetth
he
er
befo
be
befo
fore
re mar
arrriiiag
ag
ge
e,, eve
v n iff p
pre
re
e -m
mar
aritta
all
se
ex do
does
es n
es
not
o tak
ot
ake pl
p ac
ace
e,, and
nd is itt oka
kay
for un
fo
u ma
m rrrie
ied C
Ch
hri
riist
ssttia
an co
coup
uple
up
le
es to
o
h lilida
ho
day tto
da
oge
g th
ther
e?
er
Prev
Pr
e io
ev
i us
u ge
en
ner
e at
atio
ions
nss wo
ou
uld h
hav
a e
av
been
be
en sho
ock
c ed
d at an
n unmar
nm
mar
a ri
ried
coup
co
uple sp
pe
en
nd
din
ing a
an
n eveni
ve
eni
nin
ng tog
ng
getth
he
er
with
wi
thou
o t a ch
hap
pe
erro
on
ne,
e, let
e alone
lo
one
ne g
goi
oiing
g
on
n hol
o iday
id
day
ay abr
broa
oa
oad
ad ffo
or a we
week
eken
end
orr mor
o e.. But
ut tim
mes hav
a e ch
ha
an
nge
ged.
d.
We
W
e are
r a
allll a bit lles
esss up
es
pti
tigh
ght ab
gh
ab
bou
outt
ou
th
hings
in
ngs
g tthe
hese
he
se
e dayys.. Bes
esiid
ide
ides
ess, th
t er
ere iss no
su
ugg
g es
essti
tion
ti
on her
e eo
off sle
leep
epin
ng ar
ao
ou
und
nd,
d,
and a
an
ass com
omm
miitt
tte
ed
d Chr
hris
isti
tia
tian
an
ns,
s, we a
arre
okay
ok
ay wit
ith tth
he w
wh
ho
olle ‘n
‘no sse
ex b
be
efo
fore
re
ma
m
arrria
iage
ge’ th
thin
ng.
g. So if
if we’
e’rre
e not
ot going
oiin
o
ng
g
to ‘d
to
do
o it’
t, w
wh
hat
at’ss th
he
e har
ar m
m??
Let’s be fair about this. Life in
Singapore is busy, and time together
as a dating couple is precious. It is
also hard to get time alone, just to
be ‘us’. It is so good to get away for a
while and spend some time with that
special someone, to walk hand-inhand along a beach in Koh Samui or
on the streets of Paris (depending on
your budget!) and watch the sun go
down together. Once marriage and
kids come along, moments like this
are going to be hard to come by. It is
only for a few days, anyway.
We
e do no
nott wa
w nt to wave
v a big
‘Tho
‘T
hou
u sh
shal
a t no
not’
tb
ban
anne
er on
o cou
oupl
p es
e
holilida
ho
dayi
ying
ng ttog
oget
ethe
her.
r. F
For
or one
e thi
hing
ng
g,
in our
u own tthr
hree
hr
ee yea
ears
rs of da
d ting
ting
and
an
d th
then
en
ne
eng
ng
gag
a em
emen
nt, we we
went
ntt
on
nn
no
o le
less
sss tha
han
n fo
f urr wee
eeke
kend
ndss
nd
away
aw
ayy tog
a
getthe
her.
her
r. B
But
u hin
ut
nd
dssig
i ht is a
wond
der
erfu
full we
fu
well
ll ffor
or w
wis
issd
do
om,
m, and
altth
al
ho
ou
ugh
g we ne
neve
verr sllep
ve
pt to
toge
ge
eth
her
e
be
b
efo
fore
re ou
re
urr wed
eddi
ding
di
ng
g nig
ghtt, it mad
ade
e
us rea
e lilize
ze how eas
asyy it was for
o us to
putt ou
pu
o rs
rsel
sel
elve
ves an
ve
nd ou
ourr re
epu
puta
puta
t tiion
ns in
n
ha
arm
m’ss w
way
ayy.
Two
Tw
o pa
pass
ssag
ss
ages
ag
es of Sc
Scr
cri
ript
ptur
ure
ur
e hi
h gh
ghliligh
ght
gh
t e ke
th
ey is
i su
ues
e at st
sta
akke
e.. The
e first
s iiss
to
o do wi
with
th
h tempt
em
mp
pttta
atio
at
on,
n tthe
h seccon
he
o d
with
wi
th re
th
ep
put
put
u attio
ion.
n.. Bo
otth are eq
equa
ualllly
ly
im
mp
po
ort
r ta
an
nt in
n the
e fight
ht to do
d and
nd b
be
e
seen
se
en
n to do
d wha
wha
at is rig
gh
htt.
Th
he first Sc
Scri
ript
ptur
pt
ure p
pa
asssag
a e,
e
I Co
Corrint
nthiian
ans 1
10
0:1
:13
13,
3, is a fa
f mi
mililiar
arr verse
erse
er
se
thatt manyy pe
th
peop
ople
l mem
emor
o iizze ass a
great assu
su
urra
anc
nce in
n the
e fight
ht aga
g in
instt
sin: No
o teem
mpt
ptat
atio
ion h
ha
as sseeiz
ized
ized
ed you
ou
exceptt wha
at is
is com
ommo
on to
to man
n. A
An
nd
nd
God
Go
od iss fai
aith
thffu
ul;; He wi
will
illl not
ot let
e you
o be
tteempte
mptteed b
mp
beeyo
yond
nd w
wha
ha
h
at yyo
ou can
cca
an beear
a.
But wh
Bu
wheen
n yo
ou
u aree tem
emp
ptteed
d, He
He wilill al
alsso
als
o
prro
p
ovvid
ide a way
way o
wa
ou
ut so
o tha
hatt yo
you ca
can sstta
an
nd
up und
up
ndeerr iit.
t.
t.
Bu
B
ut w
wh
ha
hat
att is ea
eassiily
ly for
org
go
ott
tte
en
n is th
the
prre
p
ev
vious
iou
io
uss ssen
en
e
n
nte
tte
en
ncce:
ce:
e: ‘So,
So, if
So
if yyou
ou th
ou
hiink
nk
29
fo c u s > YOUNG ADULTS
you are standing firm, be careful that
you don’t fall!’
It is not enough
to do what is
right. We must
be seen to do
what is right.
Guys: To put yourself and your
girlfriend in the place where
temptation may be strong is both
foolish and unloving. Many may
be shocked at the suggestion that
they would ‘do
do such a thing,
thing’ and are
offended a
at the idea that they may
not be stro
ong enough to abstain.
But it is no
ot a sign of strength that
you can co
our
urt temptation and resist.
Ra
ath
ther
er,, itt is a si
sign
g of fo
oollisshn
hnes
esss –
you
yo
u don’
n’tt kn
know
ow y
you
ours
rsel
elff an
a d
yo
ou do
don’
n’tt kn
know
ow you
you
o r en
nem
emy
y.
You
Yo
Y
u find
d the
e girrl at
attr
t ac
tr
acti
tiive
ve,
o cou
of
ours
rse,
e, or yo
ou wo
woul
uld
d
n t be
no
b dat
atin
in
ng
g.. So ge
et
r al
re
a , sw
wal
a lo
ow yo
our
p iid
pr
de an
a d ad
admi
miit th
m
that
at
yo
ou arre no
not ab
bov
o e
temp
te
mp
ptat
ta
ati
tion
n, and
an
nd sh
s ow
th
hatt yyou
ou
u ccar
arre en
enou
o gh
ou
g
forr your
fo
yo
ourr girrlffri
rien
end
en
d to
o
prot
pr
ottec
otec
ec t h
he
er p
pu
uri
r ty
ty and
n
rre
epu
p ta
tati
ttiion
ion at an
anyy co
cosst
s t.
Giirl
G
rlss: Itt rea
eallllyy sh
shou
ould
d be
no sur
n
urpr
pris
pr
pris
i e tth
ha
att spe
p nd
ndin
iin
ng
ad
day on
o the
he be
ea
ach in a
swiim
sw
msu
s itt o
orr bi
bikkkiini
in
nii is g
go
oin
ing to
o
be
b
e no
otth
hiing
ng les
les
ess tth
han
an tor
ortu
ture
e to a
guyy wh
gu
who a
who
allrre
ead
ady fi
fin
nds yyo
nd
ou attttrrac
acttiive
ve.
He
H
e is no
not w
we
ea
ak
k or ‘sse
ex
x-m
-mad
ma
ad
d’ to
to
have
ha
ve a pro
rob
bllem
em wit
i h yo
you d
drres
essse
ed
lliik
like
ke
e thi
hiss;; it wo
w ul
u d be
be w
we
eirrd
ei
d iiff he
he
wa
ant
n ed
d to ma
marr
rrrry yo
you ((o
or ev
even
e da
atte
yo
y
ou)
u) and
n did nott fee
eel th
thiss way
y. And
And
An
do
o no
ott thi
hinkk ttha
ha
h
hat
at th
his iiss ju
just
ustt a guy
prob
pr
prob
ble
lem.
m.. With
m
itth th
he lil gh
ghts
tss d
dow
ow
wn lo
low
w
an
nd ro
oma
m nt
n icc mus
u ic pla
l yi
y ng
ng,, yo
y u
30
will be tempted too. Do not put him
under pressure to impress you with a
nice holiday. Help him make the right
choices.
Perhaps the ‘way out’ that God
provides is to avoid going on holiday
together in the first place.
The second Scripture passage is
Ephesians 5:3: But among you there
must not be even a hint of sexual
immorality, orr of anyy kind of impurity,
or o
off gr
gree
eed,
d, bec
ecau
ause
se tthe
hese
se are imp
mprope
perr
forr Go
fo
od’
d’ss ho
h lyy peo
eop
plee.
Itt is no
n t en
enou
o gh
ou
h tto
o do wha
h t is rig
ight
ht.
We
W
e mus
ustt be
e se
ee
en to do wh
w a
att iiss
righ
ri
g t. Mos
gh
o t of
of o
our
ur own
wn dat
atin
ing
g an
nd
enga
en
gage
ga
geme
ge
ment
me
nt yyea
ea
ars too
ookk pl
p ac
ace
e wh
w ilile
e
at uni
n ve
v rssiitty in
n the
e UK.
K T
The
h p
he
pro
robl
blem
he
ere
e wass not
o tha
hatt pe
peop
ople
op
l mig
le
ight
h
ht
susp
su
spec
ectt we wer
ec
ere
e slee
sllee
eepi
ping
pi
n tog
ng
oget
eth
et
herr,,
he
butt ra
bu
rath
ther
th
err th
ha
at p
at
pe
eop
ople
le ass
ssumed
um
med
ed we
were
we
re,, un
re
nle
ess
ss we ma
mad
de
e it ex
expr
exp
pres
pres
essl
sy
sl
c ear
cl
ea
ar th
hat
a we we
were
re not
o . (A
And
d we
w re
we
en’
n tt!!)
IIn
n the
he lea
eadd up
dp tto
o ou
our en
e ga
gage
eme
ment
n,
nt
we
w
e we
en
nt aw
a ayy ffor
orr a wee
eeke
k nd
ke
nd, bu
nd,
but
in
nd
doi
oing
oi
n so,
ng
o, wan
anted
te
ed to
o sen
end a cl
ce
ea
ar
ar
messs
me
ssag
ssag
ge to fri
rien
nd
dss and
n fam
amiilly by
by
b ok
bo
okin
in
ng not
no
n
ot ju
j stt sep
e ar
arat
ate
e ro
room
oms
mss,, butt
sepa
se
parra
rate
te (bu
ut ad
adjja
acce
ent
nt) ho
hote
ote
t lss in th
the
e
same
sa
e cit
ity.
y. Man
any th
thou
o gh
ghtt we
we we
erre
bein
be
in
ng a bi
bit exxtr
trem
me,
e, but
u at le
leas
asst no
a
ast
o
on
ne was
wa
as le
left
f in an
ft
any do
doub
ub
u
bt ass to ou
ourr
in
nte
tent
n io
nt
ons
ns.
Th
hat
at b
bei
e ng
ei
n sai
aiid,
d we a
arre st
s iilll no
not su
sure
re it
re
was th
t e wi
w se
s st co
ou
urs
rse o
off acttio
ion.
n Ther
he
erre
e
wa
as no
o one
e to ch
hec
e k up
p on us
u , no one
ne
around when we said goodnight and
went back to our respective hotels.
It sent the message about our
intentions, but it was no guarantee
about our actions.
Dating couples should not see
holidaying together as a perfectly
normal or harmless activity in their
relationship. They should be wary of
the sin, regret and shame that can so
easily result, and consider what can
be done to avoid such pitfalls.
There are things couples can do to
have a nice break together and stay
above reproach, like holidaying with
a group of friends, making sure of
course that this does not become
a pretext for pairing off for long
periods. Having rules in place, such
as there always being three or more
people together in a room at anyone
time during the holiday, is helpful so
long as everyone sticks to them.
But we remain unconvinced of the
wisdom and necessity of holidaying
together before marriage. One
cultural shift that has perhaps
contributed to this trend is that
people get married much later, and
so start having kids almost straight
away. Romance, fun and leisure may
be seen as the domain of the dating
couple, not the married couple. Is
this a realistic view of marriage? After
fifteen years of marriage, we couldn’t
disagree more. T
The article first appeared in IMPACT Oct/Nov
2008 Vol 32 No. 5. Reprinted with permission.
31
envision
Transforming
You
Following up from this Watchnight
message, Senior Pastor Dominic
Yeo shares four vital truths in
fulfilling God’s destiny in your life.
T
he word transformation comes
from two separate words, ‘trans’
and ‘formation’. The word ‘trans’
very simply means getting from one
point to another.
The second word is ‘formation’. There
is God’s formation in your life as He
transfers His virtues into you. Hence,
transformation is really the middle
ground between two very important
points.
For some of us, when the promises of
God come into our lives and there is
no transformation, the blessings and
promises of God can become a curse
in our lives, or become corrupted. In
other words, fulfillment can destroy
you. Transformation is needed so
that when fulfillment comes, you will
become a blessing.
To go from potential to fulfillment, you
have to experience the transformation
of God in your life.
32
Four ingredients are needed for this Godly
transformation
1
Relying on God
Genesis 32:22-24 That night Jacob got up
and took his two wives, his two maidservants
and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the
Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he
sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone,
and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
God orchestrated this time of transformation by
stripping Jacob of his “distractions”: his wives,
maidservants and sons. Likewise, you have to come
to a place of being stripped of all your human
resources and from all the distractions around
you if you are going to enter into the place of
transformation, where you are left alone with God.
You have to come to a place where you don’t rely
on human understanding. You cannot rely on your
own abilities to bring about transformation.
2
Abiding in God
John 15:7 If a man abides in Me, I will abide
in him, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
given you.
The word “abide” means to “dwell in Him”. It is
about dwelling in God’s presence.
Scriptures say in Gen 23:24 that Jacob was left
alone and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.
Can you imagine the hours that he just ‘remained’
with the man and refused to let the man go? You
need to learn to “abide” in the presence of God
because God’s presence transforms us. That’s the
key: the key is to dwell in God’s presence.
3
Having a tenacious
attitude
Transformation is a painful process.
Pure gold or pure silver has to go through the heat
of intense fire in its refinement process. For clay to
be molded, the potter has to spin it on the potter’s
wheel, put his thumb into it, shape it and bend
it. The clay undergoes a painful and excruciating
33
envision
Promises
of God
Information
process of molding. As clay in our Potter’s hands, we
can jettison our molding process by wanting out. But
to be pure gold, having the tenacity to go through the
heat of molding is necessary.
A blacksmith once shared with a visitor at a goldmaking factory: “I never take my eyes off the precious
metal.” Why not? Because he risks losing the moment
the metal reaches purity. How then would the
blacksmith know that the metal has become pure?
When he can see his face reflected in it.
In the same way, as you go through the transformation,
God never takes His eyes off you. God purifies you and
transforms you so that you become like Him.
You also need to understand that transformation is a
process. It takes time.
As you read this for the first time, you would be
receiving information; to know but not understand.
But God can take this information and turn it into
illumination. As soon as God illuminates the
information, then revelation comes forth. Revelation
brings about a sense of conviction. But it does not end
there.
Revelation means you come to a point saying,
“I understand! I got it now!” But Revelation has
to bring forth a seed of conviction. And the seed
34
Fulfillment
of God
Transformation
Illumination
Revelation
of conviction cannot take place until we go
through reformation, which is synonymous
with transformation. Then you can arrive at
manifestation.
Reformation is a painful process. Centuries ago,
the Church and the State were separate entities,
but in AD313, the king made a decree that State
and Religion would become one; this saw the
birth of the Roman Catholic Church.
But sometime in the early 16th century, there
was a monk named Martin Luther. One day, as
he was reading the Bible for information, there
was an illumination of the Holy Spirit upon his
life. This illumination brought forth a revelation
that we can all read the Holy Scriptures and that
God speaks to all man. That Revelation brought
about a seed of conviction in his life, there was
an inner reformation in his life which led to a
transformation in him. Martin Luther then nailed
the theses on the doors of the Church, saying that
all men could read the Scriptures because they
were justified by faith. And that brought forth the
Protestant movement. You and I are part of the
Protestant movement.
But Martin Luther paid a price. He was excommunicated by the Church. He was considered
a heretic; he was dismissed by people; he was
isolated from friends and marginalized by all.
Reformation
Manifestation
You need to lay yourself on the altar of the Holy
Spirit, under the crucible of the burning furnace
of the Holy Spirit to bring forth the work of God
in your life so that you become like Him. You will
then manifest the power of Him who calls us.
4
Confessing your
failures
In verse 27, the Man asked for his name, to which
Jacob replied, “I am Jacob.” But this was more
than an answer to a question; Jacob’s reply was a
confession of his failure because “Jacob” means “to
deceive”, “to connive”, “to supplant”.
Then the man of God said to Jacob, “You shall
no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.” The
confession of our failures moves the hand of God
to redefine us.
Open your hearts today and say, “Jesus, come and
do a work of transformation so that out of my life,
would come forth the manifestation of the power
of God and the successes of God.” T
sms
email
Were you blessed by this article? Tell us about it!
SMS ‘Trinity <space>your comments’ to 77177 or
email [email protected]
This sermon can be heard online at
www.trinity.net/sermons.htm
35
envision
July kicks off sporting
season in Trinity.
Launched in July, this
youth discipleship track
centers on defining the
young person to become
a man or woman of God.
Look at the John Flanagans of
Liverpool, Jack Wilsheres of Arsenal and
Federico Machedas of Man United. They tore
through the soccer fields with their raw energy and
tackled their opponents with unbridled boldness.
These are the under-19s from the respective soccer
Youth Academies. For what they lack in experience,
they make up in limitless potential.
Our IGNYTErs – Trinity’s youths aged between
13 to19 – have that same potential. The harness
ground for that potential is DefinYtion, Trinity’s
very own version of the soccer’s Youth Academy.
In reviewing the changing global sociological
landscape amongst youths and volunteerism,
Senior Pastor Dominic called for a recalibration in
IGNYTE. This is to position our youth ministry to be
on the cutting edge of touching young lives.
In 2010, he envisioned a revamp of the IGNYTE
discipleship track. Hence the introduction of
DefinYtion, an upgraded version of the Youth Bible
Class (YBC) of the 80s. “DefinYtion will define our
youths to be men and women of God,” says Senior
Pastor Dominic.
36
Pastor Wilson Teo, our
Deputy Senior Pastor
was himself a product
of YBC. “When I first
came to Trinity as a youth, Samuel Ko was my
very first YBC teacher. He
was very committed
and helped me know the Bible and the Holy Spirit.”
In DefinYtion, adult teachers with their wealth
of experience in life can add to the lives of our
youths. Coincidentally, some former-YBC teachers
are returning to teach at DefinYtion. It is their very
heart for youths and passion to teach that have
compelled them to return.
DefinYtion will also have them breaking into
small groups, facilitated by youth leaders or youth
spiritual parents. This is to reinforce the learning
experience and for youths to bond, since the
building of relationships is paramount to youths.
“DefinYtion? Interesting! I look forward to new
friendships being built in our small group,”
IGNYTEr Ben Loke enthuses. His sentiments
echo that of his peers in IGNYTE.
Parents, too, support the launch.
“I attended YBC in my youth.
DefinYtion is definitely good for my
children!” Roland affirms. Phillip and
Siong Yu, parents of four children,
two of whom are youths, say “My
teens are full of energy and are
growing as young persons. They
will need the Christian fellowship
and grounding of God’s Word that
DefinYtion provides.” Margaret, a
mother of two IGNYTErs, agrees:
“DefinYtion will lay a good
foundation; youths can come
together and have fun learning
together.”
But foundations are just
foundations; the onus of building
the child up in the ways of God
still lies with parents. Pastor
Dominic himself believes that
Discipleship begins at home: “The
main responsibility of discipleship
belongs to parents. The Church will
come alongside to equip parents
to disciple their youths.” After each
week, a takeaway of DefinYtion will
be available on the website, so that
parents can go online to get tips
that encourage family interaction
and growth in God.
DefinYtion, where lives are defined.
Are you a part yet?
What youths say
Join us at DefinYtion,
where lives are
defined and leaders
are developed!
WHERE is it held?
Trinity@Adam
Zone 1
(Sec 1 & 2)
Zone 2
(Sec 3, 4 & 5)
Zone 3
(Polytechnics,
JCs, ITEs,
Private
Institutes,
National
Servicemen)
Excited, but a bit scared and
uncertain to step out of my comfort
zone, especially if I need to lead. But
stepping up and stepping out is good.
Melissa Tan
Trinity@Paya Lebar
Sat
(3-4.30pm)
Sun
(9-10.30am)
Sat
(3-4.30pm)
Sun
(8.30-10am)
Level 3,
Blue 5 & 6
Level 3
Blue 5 & 6
Level 4,
Classroom 1
Level 4,
Classrooms 1 & 2
Level 4,
Classrooms 8 & 9
Level 4,
Classroom 3
Level 4,
Classrooms 11 & 12
Level 4,
Classroom 4
Level 3,
Level 3,
Praise Junction Praise Junction
Level 1,
Chapel
Level 3,
Blue 1-4
WHAT can you NOT expect?
• Stuffy, mundane lessons
• Exams and tests
• Project Work
WHAT can you look forward to?
• Encounter God
• Engage in real-life issues
• Experience new friendships
Excited to learn more about God!
Joshua Tay
It’s a great way for everyone to learn
more about the Bible, more so if we
are first-generation Christians.
Chelsea Chew
Pastor Melvin Lim
District Pastor, IGNYTE
WHEN is it launched?
9/10 July 2011
Quarter 3/2011 Topics
Quarter 4/2011 Topics
Zone 1
• Women of Destiny
• Peer Pressure
• Final Destinations
• Making the Grade
• Reach Out: Equipping Your Students
for Personal Evangelism
• Costly Conversations (1 Samuel)
Zone 2
• World Religions
• Kings and Prophets
• Relationship Tips
• Believe It or Not
• Paradoxes of God
• Facts on Faith
Zone 3
• Maturing in Christ (Philippians)
• Wholeness in Christ (Colossians)
• Friends of Jesus
• Justice and Mercy (Minor Prophets)
• Priorities and Values
37
p u l s e > IGNY TE
A few days after I signed up for camp,
I was asked to be a group leader. “My
first camp and I have to lead a group?
Are they serious?”, I thought, but God
allowed me to lead reasonably well and
also spoke to me during the camp.
Firstly, He spoke about Reliance. Secondly, He
spoke about leadership. God reminded me of my
name. My name, Boaz, means “by the strength
of my Father”. If I relied on Him, “by the strength
of my Father” I would be able to accomplish His
plans.
I began to recall that it was always by His grace
that I would end up in leadership roles in primary
38
school, secondary school, and now in
Poly. God then showed me that in these
leadership positions, I would be able
to reach out to people who have yet
to know Him, to use these positions to
influence and show them how I would live while
relying on God.
Through this encounter with God, I finally saw
His hand upon my life and so I will rely on Him
and trust that in whatever position He puts me,
His purpose will be fulfilled!
Boaz Koh, 17
Singapore Polytechnic, Diploma in Audio and Music
Technology
76 IGNYTErs came back from camp filled with an understanding of their
identity in Christ, compelled by a vision for the lost and armed with
a strategy to reach them. The life-transforming camp for Polytechnic
students was held from April 4 to 6 at the BBGB Campsite.
Initially, I did not want to go
for Blueprint. Three days before
camp started, I unwillingly paid
up and decided to go for it.
After Blueprint, I can safely say
that I do not regret going for
the camp. God has touched
me and spoken to me through
that camp about my family
situation and about my school
and I really enjoyed the fellowship time that I
had. For the first time, God opened my eyes
to see my campus differently. I realized that
I was not just a student there and that my
fellow classmates needed God in their lives.
I really thank God for
the new people that
he has brought into
my life through this
camp and for changing
me through this camp!
Keith Yong, 18
Republic Polytechnic,
Diploma in New Media
Before I went for the recent Blueprint camp, I was
someone with a lot of fear. I was afraid of being
a “real Christian” in front of my friends. Whenever
they asked me to go out on weekends, I would say
I was busy or hesitate to say that I would be going to
church. In church, I was also
afraid of the responsibility of
rising up in leadership. So,
whenever my IGNYTE leaders
spoke to me about leadership
or in rising up, I would
pretend to ignore the subject.
Blueprint camp was different,
different in a way that I had time
relax
e to rel
laxx and
d bond
bond
d
with my friends. I was expecting the camp to be
very tight in schedule, with no time for myself or
to be around my friends. But I am glad that I went
for this camp because it changed my perspective
of being a real Christian and leaders. God came
and spoke to me during the camp and gave me a
heart of teaching and a heart which has no fear.
Right after the camp was over, I felt like I was a
new person, someone who isn’t fearful as before
anymore but someone that is God-fearing. AMEN!
Damien Tang, 19
LASALLE College of the Arts, Diploma in Music
Performance
39
p u l s e > YOUNG ADULTS
T
he event kicked off with a Young Adults’
(YA) District Gathering on a Friday evening.
Pastor Wilson Teo began with a compelling
message, challenging us to examine the reality
of our Christian faith measured against the
extent of our obedience to God. He urged
over 250 YAs to make God, not Mammon, the
treasure of their hearts and to involve God in
every decision. Many responded to the call to
return to Him as their first love.
W
What a
Weekend
Money, greed, power, sex –
the ingredients of an Oscarwinning thriller? Not quite!
Nicole Yeong discovers
that these were the subjects
of a series of animated
discussions at Trinity’s Young
Adults’ Weekend, held
between 18 and 19 February
2011 at Trinity@Paya Lebar.
!
Th
their respective lives!
40
dd
41
heartbeat
Your life,
1
42
2
3
T
here are 6.9 billion people in 195
different countries across the globe.
Among these people groups, 116
languages in various dialects and tongues
are spoken.
With such diversity in culture and beliefs, it’s
small wonder why Pastor Ron Maddux, who
spent most of his life sharing the Gospel in
China and Thailand, admitted that the life of
a missionary is tough.
That said, the American pastor, who was
in town during Trinity Christian Centre’s
Missions Convention in March, did not
waver and for that, he thanked God for
seeing him through. After all, to him,
nothing beats the joy in seeing people
come to know Christ.
It is with this in mind that he declared: “The
greatest gift you can give to missions is not
money, but you!”
Your gift
Giving to missions isn’t just about money or material
provisions. The greatest gift one can offer up is, in fact,
ourselves, as Gabriel Chu discovered during March’s
Missions Convention.
And many Trinitarians, it seems, have heeded
the call to serve God in the missions field.
The foreign delegates from 19 countries
who attended the week-long cell church
conference certainly thought so, as they
testified to how Trinitarians have made a
difference in their respective countries.
Pastor Kaloyan from Bulgaria, for one, shared
how Trinity’s Cell Church Model has helped
his church to create a strong harvest force.
Pastor Linda from Glad Tidings Assemblies of
God, Petaling Jaya also endorsed the model
and proclaimed the setting up of their 100th
home cell after plateauing in the range of the
90s for a long time.
Additionally, beyond going out in Mission
Impact Teams (MITs), we made faith promises
amounting to S$8,295,733.27. Trinitarians are
indeed blessed to be a blessing!
1 Pastor
orr DDom
ominic with Pastor Koji and family on Missions Night
om
2 Pasttor
or KKal
aloyan testifying of the work of God in his church
3 A firs
rsth
tha d experience in humanitarian missions
than
With these seeds sown by Trinitarians
into churches worldwide, our foreign
counterparts are, in turn, sowing God’s love
back into their communities today.
43
heartbeat
4
5
6
7
8
Celebratory spirit
No Missions Convention is complete
without a celebration, and this year,
Trinity created a “cultural village” to
commemorate our church’s global
outlook.
With pastors, our overseas visitors and
Trinitarians donned in their national
garb and cultural performances put
up to great acclaim, the festivities
were in full flow. Trinitarian George
Elam, for one, enjoyed the communal
atmosphere and the Filipino bamboo
dance, in particular.
Those who manned the food booths,
which boasted a diverse mix such
as Indonesian kuehs weren’t left
out of the fun, either. Loy, a Filipino
congregation member who was
manning the Philippines booth, not
only enjoyed his stint but shared
that despite the diversity of cultures
present, we all serve one true God.
At the end, Rev. David Grant, one
44
of our guest speakers for Missions
Convention, summed up the week’s
activities when he said: “Your hands
are the hands of God. Use them to
bless and heal, not bruise and harm.”
The seeds that we sow – our time,
riches and talents – God will further
grow it for His purposes. So let’s allow
our compassion for His people shine
through and use it to impact the
world where we are.
To find out more or sign up for our MITs,
visit www.trinity.net. You can also give to
missions; pick up a Faith Promise card or a
Missions Booklet (Faces of Gratitude) from
the Level 2 Information Counter!
9
4, 7 & 8 Mouth-watering
delicacies from Asia
5 Delighting the crowds with
a cultural dance
6 Our children with their
Missions Faith Promise cards
9 Trinity’s missions endeavours
aree su
ar
supp
ppor
o tedd by our
Miss
Mi
ssio
ions
ns FFai
aith
thh Promise
From March 23 to 28, more than 420 delegates
from 20 countries attended our Cell Church
Conference (CCC). The conference stems from
Trinity’s’ desire to train and develop others,
inherent in our DNA of being a leadership
church. Two participants share of the
transforming work of God in their
churches, through the CCC.
Cell Church Conference
Yen Chin Hsiu
Gordon Goh
Senior Pastor’s wife
Cell Overseer
Taoyuan Holiness Church, Taiwan
Bethesda Bedok Tampines Church
efore encountering Trinity’s
cell church model, we tried numerous ways
to build our church and equip our members,
learning from other churches’ model, but we
repeatedly failed. Our members were tired and our
pastors, defeated.
n the early day of the church,
we met as a care group. The focus was on Bible
study; we were somewhat inward-looking. The
concept of cell was foreign to us. Later on, we
also tried another church growth model, but to
little success.
We hoped for visitors to our church but when there
were, there was no one to pastor them. Also, with
20% of the church serving the other 80%, ultimately
many chose not to serve.
It was during 2001 that we decided to adopt the
TCC Cell Church Model. Rev. Dominic and team
came to our church to teach and mentor us. With
your support, the buy-in this time was stronger.
In the second half of 2006, our Senior Pastor heard
about Trinity’s Cell Church Model and its training
materials. He was deeply moved and knew in his
heart that it was exactly what the church needed.
In 2007, we attended the ‘7 Steps’ Conference in
Singapore.
We started with 20 Church in-action Groups
(CGs) but now have 103 CGs. Our youths from
Secondary 1 to our seniors in their 60s and
70s have adopted the TCC Cell Church Model.
Recently, we were able to mobilize the cells to do
community transformation around the HDB flats
within one kilometer from the church.
Thus far, the most obvious change in the church is
the large increase in newcomers. People have been
touched by God even as they pass by our church
building. Some were led to our church through our
website, while some were prompted by the Holy
Spirit to come. It was all very miraculous, as if
when we found the right way to equip ourselves,
God kept bringing people and those with needs
to the church.
The TCC cell model helped us to gear up to
be an intentional disciple-making church.
Our church has grown from 400+, to over
1,300 people for the English service, 300+
for the Mandarin service and more than 200
members in the Hokkien servic
vice
vi
ce
e. W
We
e als
lso no
ow
have an Indonesian and Fil
Filip
ilip
ipin
ip
ino mini
mini
mi
nist
strryy.
The last breakthrough is in evangelism. The nurturing
and discipleship in carecells resulted in people
being bold in inviting their friends to church and
testifying to their loved ones about Jesus.
45
heartbeat
Missions at a Glance
e
GO
2
15
Countries (Indonesia and India)
Trinitarians
Evangelistic MITs
1
Humanitarian MITs
17
Decisions
12
Miraculous healings
GO
Training and Consultation Trips
Trips
4
3 (Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan)
GIVE
638
14
46
An overview
of the span of
Trinity’s Missions
from January
to March 2011.
Missions Impact Teams (MITs)
rips
Evangelistic and Humanitarian Trips
1
Countries
nate
Passirtobeat
Hea
Destitute children in 3 children’s homes (in
India and Thailand) and 2 slum schools (in
Cambodia and India) sponsored
Ministries given love offerings
Children are close to the Father’s heart,
more so children who are destitute. Last
quarter, we continued to be a blessing
to them through sponsoring a new slum
school in Haryana, India. The needs
of these children, 226 in total are now
totally provided for.
Impossible to build a house in a few
days? Not for Team Trinity! In January, a
Missions Impact Team collaborated with
the community in Padang, Indonesia in
the building of three wooden houses.
The majority of the members involved
in this project were not skilled in the
area of construction, but God enabled
them to complete the houses within
three days. Over the last two years, a
total of seven houses have been built
by our Mission Impact Teams. The local
community expressed their joy and
gratefulness to these Trinitarians: “Thank
you for giving us a home” many said.
It has always been in Trinity’s DNA
to train and develop others. As part
of Trinity’s ongoing training and
consultation efforts to churches around
the world who have embraced our cell
church model, we hosted more than 427
delegates from 20 nations in the Cell
Church Conference. Our guests were
greatly blessed by the warm hospitality,
the teaching of the Word and the vibrant
atmosphere they experienced.
47
pulse
The D’Artistes team
encapsulated their
motto “Because Every
Life is a Celebration”
through their vibrant
dance concert on
27 February 2011,
where heart and spirit
met skill and focus.
By Sabrina Ng
48
Defying
One
of the
theme
songs
of the
concert
went “I hope
you never lose
your sense of wonder
/ May you never take one single
breath for granted / Promise
me you’ll give faith a fighting
chance / And when you get the
chance to sit it out or dance
/ I hope you dance.” (Lee Ann
Womack, I Hope You Dance)
And dance they did. Twirling
around on tip-toe, gracefully
leaping across the stage to
contemporary tunes, gyrating
to heart-pumping hip hop…
All of which got me tapping
and grooving to the music.
Metamorphosis II…Defying
Gravity! was a dance recital
performed by the D’Artistes
team, comprising a group of
25 children and teenagers
with Down Syndrome, Autism
and Intellectual Disability,
and their family. Directed
by choreographer Gerard
Sebastian Raj and supported
by guest artistes Hi-Energy
Dancers, the concert was
performed to a full audience at
the chapel of Trinity@Paya Lebar
on 27 Feb 2011. The church was
indeed blessed to be a blessing
in giving the children a place
and opportunity to showcase
their talent.
Gravity
As aptly put by Senior Pastor Dominic, the
concert was a “testament to the power of
Relentless Belief”, a core value of Trinity
Christian Centre. It was through D’Artistes’
belief in the limitless potential of each
child that the children
could present a stellar
performance that defied
the circumstances of
their birth.
The children performed
confidently in dazzling
costumes and with
impressive moves. But what captivated
the audience was the message the
children brought with them. One child
declared that like us, children of God, he
shared the “same purpose, but a different
start”, while another beckoned the
audience to “see the shape of my soul”
and to “give me time, not help”. Although
often perceived as needy and on the
receiving end of an exchange, these
special children’s spirit of overcoming and
embracing life was their
gift to us.
Through music and
dance as the language of
their souls, the children
brought the audience to
an understanding that
because God empowers
us, we can defy gravity and should “never
settle for the path of least resistance”
(Lee Ann Womack, I Hope You Dance). By
the end of the concert, the soul-inspired
audience rose to their feet with a standing
ovation for the D’Artistes team.
pulse
There is a keen sense
ense of expectation
and destiny as the Assemblies of God (AG)
movement enters a new season.
Fresh fire, new anointing, burning zeal. These
characterize the new season that God has been
bringing the AG into. With Rev. Dominic re-elected
to helm the AG and a new Executive Committee at
the hub of the movement, the general body can
expect greater things to come.
“I’m humbled and awed at the same time,
knowing that it is God’s divine appointment,” Rev.
Dominic candidly shares; “It definitely comes with
greater responsibilities, but I am also reminded we
are blessed to be a blessing to the nation.”
One year ago, as he sought the heart and mind
of God for the movement, he was led to focus on
these three expressions: a Spirit of Togetherness,
Transformation and Training.
SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS
There are 47 AG churches in Singapore. Together,
they serve approximately 22,000 adherents. In his
one year as General Superintendant, Rev. Dominic
has galvanized the AG body toward a common
vision and unity.
52
When churches were faced with challenges in
land usage for their church services, the Executive
Committee rose to the fore to meet with relevant
government authorities to come up with a
solution.
Rev. Dominic also has a heart to strengthen the
local churches. Every other weekend, he would
either preach or visit an AG church to encourage
them. “I truly appreciate his personal concern and
interest in the ministers and churches. He has
taken much time to meet with and visit them,”
Assistant General Superintendant Pastor Robert
Lum shares.
The advocacy of the five-fold ministry was another
nod in the direction of togetherness. “This brings
evangelists, itinerant ministers, prophets and
teachers to feel a sense of belonging in the AG
family,” Pastor Robert Lum shares. Pastor James
Singh, an evangelist, acknowledges as well that
“different ones have different giftings. As the fivefold ministry serves in its giftings, strength and
maturity are brought to the Body of Christ.”
SPIRIT OF TRAINING
Recognizing the need for the churches to be in
tandem with our changing society, Rev. Dominic
availed media training course and governance
workshop to AG ministers and churches. Pastor
Sophia Tan, Senior Pastor of Living Spring Fellowship
looks forward to more of such relevant training.
Another pressing issue on the list was that of
corporate governance. Under Pastor Dominic’s
leadership, governance was set in motion and is
continuously being benchmarked against best
practice guidelines. Pastor Simon Ang, Senior
Pastor of Moriah Assembly affirms this: “His
organizational and management acumen have
made an impact.”
SPIRIT OF TRANSFORMATION
These sense of togetherness and training trickled
down to the recent AG Fresh Fire Conference,
where churches were really blessed by the key
topics on Spirit-empowered leadership, church, life
and worship. Many were infused with fresh faith
and passion for God.
Pastor Mark Poh, Senior Pastor of Emmanuel
Assembly of God says, “It is the best AG conference
we have ever attended! We had anointed speakers
and the messages were very timely; the churches
were built up in faith. One of my church members
was so impacted he immediately went back and
shared with his brother-in-law, who got saved!”
Another attendee, a Trinitarian shares, “I was
renewed and stirred up in my passion for God.
I came away with a new hunger for His Word and
a better understanding of the power of the Holy
Spirit.”
BLAZING AHEAD
The flames are still but flickers, because God is
fuelling a greater move of the Spirit. May what
was birthed by the Spirit in 1914 at Hot Springs
Arkansas, burn on to ignite fires of revival in our
churches.
Trinitarians, together with all the AG churches, let’s
continue to arise in faith and run with the Spirit’s
fire to touch our family, community and the nation
for Christ.
53
u p c l o s e > TRINITARIAN HERO
Chong Leong Hin,
Air Force engineer
the first
After joining as a choir member of
in 1982,
Singing Christmas Tree production
almost
Leong Hin has been involved with
r since.
eve
on
every major church producti
tion,
ven
His most recent was Missions Con
The
se.
where he was seen building a hou
a taste
ans
itari
Trin
give
live demo meant to
’s
Hin
ng
Leo
of humanitarian missions.
his
in
ized
servant attitude is best summar
give
own words, “If you want a bus, I will
g
fan
Xiu
n
you a bus.” By Che
Exactly what motivates you to serve?
Do you have a personal motto for serv
How do you overcome the setbacks
ing?
you face at each production?
Do you see yourself building a legacy
54
in what you’re doing?
Encounter
God
Experience
Transformation
Hear from our Guest Speakers!
Sat & Sun
Jul 23 & 24
Rev. Dr Russ Turney
Regional director,
Assemblies of God
World Missions, Asia Pacific
Rev. Yee Tham Wan
President of Asia Pacific
Theological Seminary
Sat,
Rev. John Bevere
International speaker and
author of bestselling books
such as A Heart Ablaze,
Drawing Near and Driven
by Eternity
Chinese Service
Rev. Ngoh Moon
on Tee
Senior Pastor of Baguio
o
International Chinese Church
Thu & Fri
Aug 2
25
5 & 26
Revival
Rally
Rev. Joe Jackson
Evangelist and Conference
Speaker, former professional
American football player
www.trinity.net
Aug 6